Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-08-05

An earthquake at 12:22pm on Tuesday hit large parts of Johannesburg and surrounding areas.

It’s understood that the tremor was felt as far north as Pretoria down to parts of Vereeniging and may have been felt in the neighbouring provinces of North West the Free State including Botswana and Lesotho

The tremor lasted a few seconds and workers and residents of the region experienced very strong shaking for around 5 seconds.

According to Dr. Martin Brandt, a seismologist from the Council for Geoscience in Pretoria, the earthquake measured 5.5 on the Richter scale and happened 6km east of Orkney in the North West province.

ER24 emergency personnel services in Carletonville have so far confirmed a man in his 30’s reportedly died when the wall of a dilapidated building in the old Orkney mining area collapsed on him as a result of the earthquake.

Spokesperson Werner Vermaak said Paramedics that were called to the scene found a man lying under the debris, but the exact circumstances remain unclear at this stage.

“Unfortunately there was nothing more they could do for him. He was declared dead on the scene and the incident has been handed over to local police.”

ER24’s Russel Meiring says ER24 has been put on high alert and has sent crews through to Orkney due to apparent building collapses.

South Africans immediately took to twitter.

Radio Islam’s Ejaz Khan (‏@ejaz_k) tweeted: That was not your usual “tremor” …EVERYONE in Jozi Felt that. #tremor or #earthquake

Yumna Patel (@YumnaPatel) tweeted: prolonged#Tremor felt in jhb central longest we’ve felt…actually picked kids &ran out to safety.Allah forgive us & protect us.

While Moulana Sulaiman Moola ‏ (@SulaimanMoola) tweeted: There was a tremor in Johannesburg and surrounding areas. I literally felt it. May Allah Ta’alaa protect all. Ameen.

(Twitter: @Faizie143)